Felix Furniture

Melbourne’s Antonia Morrongiello and Ian Anderson of Felix Furniture have become unofficial ambassadors for that most underrated of materials – plywood!

This afternoon we unveil adventurous new designs from the Sunbury-based duo.

Written

Elle Murrell

Designs from the new Kork collection by Melbourne’s Felix Furniture, alongside their new Mota Dining Chair in Birch plywood. Styling – Sarah Elshaug of Maitland Street Interiors at XO Studios. Photo – Stephanie Rooney.

‘The Mota Dining Chair is probably the best example of our progress. It is unlike anything we have done before in form and purpose,’ says Antonia. Styling – Sarah Elshaug of Maitland Street Interiors at XO Studios. Photo – Stephanie Rooney.

Felix Furniture’s signature material is plywood. Styling – Sarah Elshaug of Maitland Street Interiors at XO Studios. Photo – Stephanie Rooney.

New Lilly Coffee Table and Douglas Bench Seat. Styling – Sarah Elshaug of Maitland Street Interiors at XO Studios. Photo – Stephanie Rooney.

Felix Furniture co-founders Antonia Morrongiello, a graduate of Interior Design and Decoration at RMIT, and Ian Anderson, who has a background in cabinet making. Styling – Sarah Elshaug of Maitland Street Interiors at XO Studios. Photo – Stephanie Rooney.

Writer

Elle Murrell

10th of May 2017

Felix Furniture was launched by Antonia Morrongiello and her partner Ian Anderson in 2014. Antonia, a graduate of Interior Design and Decoration at RMIT, leads the design side of things, while Ian, who has a background in cabinet making, heads up the making side of the business. ‘After we finished our very first set of bedside tables, we knew we were on to something, and that we had to pursue it or we would regret it!’ Antonia tells.

Three years on, their latest collection breaks new ground for the pair, and as Antonia explains, ‘…is all about how it feels under hand.’ The tactile range combines unlikely textures, championing the brand’s signature material, plywood, alongside a new addition – cork. Their newest pieces, including the Kork Buffet and Entertainment Unit pair natural cork with American Oak.

Early last year, Antonia was working at her desk when a cork jar lid on the window sill caught her eye. ‘I grabbed the lid, took it down to Ian in the workshop and started to look at this material alongside our different types of plywood’ she explains. After some research, the pair found themselves drawn to cork for its inherently sustainable qualities – it is harvested directly from the tree just once every nine years, allowing for crucial regeneration.

Antonia’s father was also a furniture maker, and has bestowed upon the pair a great appreciation for what it means to be able to make something from scratch with your hands. ‘When it came to buying furniture ourselves, we were shocked at how much poorly made, imported, cheap replica furniture there was in market,’ says Antonia. She and Ian hope to counter this trend in their own small way, putting out good, honest design, using sustainably-sourced materials, with an ongoing commitment to making things locally.

Felix Furniture is currently running a Makers Collective Pop-Up Shop in Richmond, and are preparing for this year’s Decor and Design trade show in July. Find out more on their website, here.